Questions over Phil Ivey’s Huge Payout
This was published 08-10-2012Crockfords, the oldest private gaming club in the world, is investigating a GBP 7.3 million win by Phil Ivey, the world’s top poker player and the up-marketMayfairgaming club is meanwhile refusing to pay him anything of his win. Crockfords has informed the Gambling Commission of its decision.
Ivey, a 35 year old fromCalifornia, was evidently playing Punto Banco at the casino accompanied by a gorgeous Oriental woman when he struck an amazing winning streak. Despite the fact that the 184 year old casino had at first undertaken to transfer Ivey’s winnings into his bank account, six weeks on Ivey has received only GBP 1 million of his winnings.
Crockfords, in an unprecedented move, has decided to begin an exhaustive inquiry and has interviewed their staff as well as the female croupier as they fear that there could have been some form of collusion, although it would appear that this has been ruled out.
Although it does not appear as if the police have been brought into this matter and it is not yet clear what, if anything, Ivey has been accused of, it has been revealed that lawyers for both Ivey and Crockfords are engaged in an extremely tense stand-off.
Ivey had been playing at the casino for approximately seven hours during two nights over the August bank holiday when he struck his remarkable winning streak. The casino became suspicious when it was discovered that Ivey’s companion’s membership of anotherMayfaircasino had been suspended.
Crockfords is owned by Genting, the Malaysian gaming corporation who have flown investigators toLondonfrom Kuala Lampur to interview everyone who happened to be working at Crockfords on the two nights in question.
Investigators also examined hours of film from Crockford’s surveillance cameras and scrutinized the cards that were used but no imperfections or marks that would have given Ivey any advantage were found and according to a source, Ivey had at no time touched the cards.
When Ivey was approached by a reporter at a tournament inCanneslast week he declined to comment. According to his mother, who lives inLas Vegas, the fact that he has never mentioned the matter to her suggests that it cannot have been very important to him.
